From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer Kretzmer wrote the book and lyrics of the West End
musical, Our Man Crichton, composed by David Lee and
Born 5 October 1925 (1925-10-05) based on J M Barrie’s satirical play The Admirable Crichton.
Occupation Journalist, lyricist The musical starred Kenneth More and Millicent Martin.
Kretzmer later wrote (with composer Laurie Johnson) the
Herbert Kretzmer OBE (born 5 October 1925) is a South lyrics for a large-scale comedy spoof, The Four Musketeers,
African-born English journalist and lyric writer. He is which ran for more than a year at the Theatre Royal,
perhaps best known as the lyricist for the English-lan- Drury Lane, starring Harry Secombe as the swordsman
guage musical adaptation of Les Misérables.[1] d’Artagnan.
In 1985, Kretzmer’s songs for Aznavour came to the
attention of producer Cameron Mackintosh, who invited
Journalist him to write an English version of a French musical Les
Kretzmer began his professional career writing docu- Misérables (by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schon-
mentary films and the commentary for a weekly cinema berg). Kretzmer’s lyrics extended the two-hour Paris
newsreel. However, he soon moved on to print journal- original into a three-hour show. The all-sung “Les Mis”
ism, initially as a reporter and feature writer for the Jo- opened at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985 and is
hannesburg Sunday Express. He relocated to London in the still running in the West End, the longest running West
mid-1950s and pursued twin careers as journalist and End musical in history. The score includes such well-cov-
lyric writer. ered ballads as "I Dreamed a Dream", "Bring Him Home",
After several years as a feature writer on the Daily "On My Own" and "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables". For
Sketch, Kretzmer became a profile writer on the Sunday his work on the Les Misérables lyrics, Kretzmer received
Dispatch and the Daily Express, interviewing John Stein- Tony and Grammy awards.
beck, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Sugar Ray In 2008 Kretzmer wrote the lyrics for Marguerite from
Robinson, Louis Armstrong, Henry Miller, Cary Grant and an original text by Alain Boublil, a musical set in Nazi-oc-
Duke Ellington. In 1962, he became senior drama critic cupied Paris, to music by Michel Legrand. The show was
of the Daily Express: a post he held for 18 years, covering part of a Jonathan Kent Season at the Haymarket Theatre
about 3,000 first nights. before moving on to a season in Japan. Marguerite was
From 1979 to 1987, he wrote television criticism for shortlisted in the Best Musical category in the Evening
the Daily Mail, winning in this capacity two national press Standard Drama Awards 2008.
awards, including TV Critic Of The Year. Kretzmer’s most recent musical project is Kristina,
based on Vilhelm Moberg’s epic suite of novels about
Lyricist Swedish emigrants to Minnesota in the 19th century. The
show, originally conceived and written by lyricist Bjorn
Kretzmer wrote lyrics for the BBC’s satire That Was The Ulvaeus and composer Benny Andersson from ABBA. It
Week That Was, including the racial satire "Song of Nostal- was presented and recorded in a concert version over
gia For an American State" and the much-recorded trib- two nights at Carnegie Hall, New York in September 2009.
ute to John F. Kennedy, "In the Summer of His Years",
written and performed by Millicent Martin within hours
of his assassination.[2]
Honours
Kretzmer won an Ivor Novello Award for the Peter In 1988, Kretzmer was elected a Chevalier of L’Ordre Des
Sellers and Sophia Loren comedy hit “Goodness Gracious Arts Et Des Lettres. He received the Jimmy Kennedy
Me”, composed by David Lee. Other award-winning Kret- Award (a division of the Ivor Novello Awards) for services
zmer lyrics include “Yesterday When I Was Young” and to songwriting. In 1996, he was elected an Honorary Doc-
the chart-topping “She”, both written with and for the tor of Letters at Richmond College. He was appointed Of-
French singer Charles Aznavour.. ficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011
Kretzmer wrote the lyrics for Anthony Newley’s cult New Year Honours for services to music.[3]
musical film Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy
Humppe and Find True Happiness, whose score included
“When You Gotta Go”, often used as a closing song by
singers including Barbra Streisand.
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Herbert Kretzmer
Personal life [2] "Tribute to President Kennedy". That Was The Week
That Was. 23 November 1963. No. 14, series 2.
Kretzmer was born in South Africa in 1925. He is one of [3] London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59647. p. 11. 31
four brothers born to Lithuanian-born William and Til- December 2010.
ly Kretzmer, who fled the racist pogroms of Czarist Rus-
sia to settle in small-town South Africa early in the 20th
century. Elliot, the oldest of the brothers, flew as part of
External links
a bomber crew in the South African Air Force during the • Herbert Kretzmer official website
second World War, eventually becoming the Mayor of Jo- • Allmusic discography - songs
hannesburg in 1991. Persondata
Kretzmer married Elisabeth Margaret Wilson, and
Name Kretzmer, Herbert
they had one son and one daughter. After this marriage
dissolved he married Sybil Sever. Alternative names
On 8 April 2011, Kretzmer received an Honorary Doc- Short description
torate from Rhodes University in South Africa. Date of birth 5 October 1925
Place of birth
References Date of death
[1] Kretzmer official website Place of death
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Herbert_Kretzmer&oldid=471885313"
Categories:
• 1925 births
• Grammy Award winners
• Living people
• South African emigrants to the United Kingdom
• Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom
• South African songwriters
• English songwriters
• Rhodes University alumni
• People from the Free State (South African province)
• Officers of the Order of the British Empire
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